1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a hinge for folding armrests or center passenger seats of the type used in passenger vehicles and, more particularly, to a hinge mechanism having an inertia sensitive latch assembly which permits the armrest or center passenger seat to be folded forward during normal use but which locks to prevent folding when the vehicle is subjected to predetermined deceleration forces exceeding a predetermined threshold level.
2. Discussion
As is known, passenger vehicles commonly include one or more armrests located between adjacent seats such as, for example, between driver and passenger portions of a bench seat. The seat occupants can move the armrest between a stowed position in which the armrest is concealed within or abuts the seatback and a deployed position in which the armrest is folded out to rest against the seat bottom. Alternatively, passenger vehicles commonly include a center passenger seat located between the driver and passenger seats. The center passenger seat can similarly be moved between a stowed position and a deployed position.
Typically, the armrest or center passenger seat includes a pair hinges supporting opposite sides thereof for pivotable movement between the stowed and deployed positions. Each hinge includes upper and lower hinge members with the upper hinge member rotating with respect to the lower hinge member about a pivot. More particularly, the upper hinge member is typically connected to an upholstered armrest cushion or seat cushion while the lower hinge members is connected to the frame structure of the vehicle seat or vehicle floor.
While conventional armrests are provided to enhance the comfort of the seat occupants and conventional folding center passenger seats provide additional passenger seating, they can unexpectedly move from the stowed position toward the deployed position during a sudden vehicular deceleration condition, for example caused by a frontal collision or heaving braking of the motor vehicle. If a seat occupant is sitting in between the driver and passenger seats, such a deceleration can cause the armrest or folding center passenger seat to strike the passenger which may cause injury. Additionally, unexpected movement of the armrest or folding center passenger seat from the stowed position toward the deployed position can occur more frequently as the hinges wear and become loose. Therefore, a hinge for use in folding armrests or center passenger seats that addresses the above problems by providing means for inhibiting such unexpected movement is desirable.
Although inertia-sensitive hinge mechanism incorporating some of the above-noted features are commercially available and perform satisfactorily for this intended purpose, a need exists to provide continuous improvement in this field of technology for reducing overall system complexity and costs while concomitantly enhancing operational reliability and durability.